Mobile or wireless terminals, such as cell phones, mobile phones, and similar wireless devices are no longer the hallmark of traveling business executives and other professionals, but have become essential personal items that are always carried by many people all over the world on their persons.
Modern cell phones are equipped with a feature known as enhanced home network. This feature allows cell phone users to operate their phones throughout North America or the European Community commonly without incurring roaming charges. Because the cell phones are, therefore, operational at no additional prohibitive cost across borders between states or countries, there is no reason to leave them behind while traveling. In a sense, the cell phone goes where its owner goes, and this, unfortunately, includes environments in which use of cell phones is undesirable, dangerous or even illegal.
In entertainment places, such as theaters, opera houses, symphony and music halls, ringing of cell phones is not only disruptive, but it may also interfere with aesthetic or other aspects of the performance. In government buildings and courthouses, security reasons may place additional restrictions on the use or even admittance of cell phones. In airplanes, in explosives handling sites, hospitals and other places in which radio-operated equipment may be used, the operation of cell phones may lead to spurious radio transmissions that may cause interference, malfunction and may even trigger catastrophic events with human casualties.
Currently, X-Ray machines and scanners are used to discover and confiscate cell phones at the entrance to courthouses and other places in which these devices are prohibited. Spotting miniature cell phones through X-ray machines is difficult and time-consuming, especially when greater priority is placed on discovering items that may be used as weapons.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,286 B1 discloses control of telecommunication services for subscriber-provided radio communication devices residing in a miniature cellular environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,055 B1 discloses a system and method for providing restrictions on mobile-originated calls.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,282 B1 discloses transmitting group ID information to exclude a group of mobile terminals from changing their operation mode.
European Patent publication EP 1 041 848 A1 discloses protecting a predetermined area from disturbing usage of mobile terminals by means of a paging message.
European Patent publication EP 0 891 110 A1 discloses a method and system for preventing a mobile station from causing disturbance.